In a puzzling twist from the ever-entertaining political landscape, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has set out on a mission that seems more like a quest for the Holy Grail of political identities. Newsom, who has mastered the art of being all things to all people, has now cozied up to Michigan Democrats, claiming he’s taking on the establishment. And what a spectacle it is to see him lining up a meeting with far-left Senate hopeful Abdel Abd El-Sayed. Newsom appears to be trying out for the role of a progressive insurgent without losing his well-polished establishment credentials.
As if the thought of Newsom discussing policy over a meal wasn’t enough, the plot thickens with whispers of Barack Obama himself making a courtesy call to El-Sayed. It’s as if the Democratic Party is throwing a welcome party for questionable Marxist ideologies, instead of doing the sensible thing and giving them a one-way ticket back to political oblivion. Democrats seem to have missed the lesson that Americans value self-reliance over cradle-to-grave government dependency, or maybe they just misplaced it in the chaos of their radical agendas.
Amidst this colorful array of political gymnastics, El-Sayed isn’t shy about defending his desire for higher taxes to fund his vision of Medicare-for-all. It’s a vision where Uncle Sam becomes the most beloved insurance agent, minus the premium increases, but plus the inevitable tax hikes. Instead of focusing on enticing high salaries of insurance CEOs, maybe the focus should be on how these government programs will actually be funded. The song and dance about affordable health care sound great, until one has to foot the hefty bill.
Attempting to breathe life into these radical ideas is their cheerleader Gavin Newsom, who praises El-Sayed’s supposed prowess and connects with an audience primarily composed of impressionable college grads and those day-dreaming in ivory towers. Yet, there’s palpable resistance from the black communities, who find it all too easy to call out phony promises when they see them. But to witness someone of Newsom’s standing try to embody both the insurgent and the establishment simultaneously is as entertaining as it is bewildering.
As the Democrats flirt with the progressives, veteran strategists like James Carville openly question how these zealots fit into the Democratic fold. Yet, some Democrats are blindly hitching their wagons to these rising stars, perhaps more enamored by the mirage of popularity than grounded in the harsh reality of political practicality. The rest of us can only grab our popcorn, watch, and perhaps, in a sardonic twist, be thankful it’s not our circus and definitely not our clowns.
